Integrity Line

The City Auditor has established the Integrity Line to provide the public, employees, contractors or others with a method for reporting suspected fraud, waste or misuse of city resources.

The Integrity Line is not a substitute for the city’s established processes for addressing employment-related issues, such as discrimination, harassment or personnel matters.

Fraud

An intentional act or omission designed to deceive others and deprive the city of its resources or rights. These acts may be committed by persons who are internal or external to the city. Examples include:

• Theft of city money, equipment or other assets
• Use of city property for personal gain
• Submitting invoices for fictitious goods or services
• Falsifying records, such as time-sheets or expense claims

Waste

Intentional or unintentional careless expenditure or mismanagement of city resources. Waste may not involve private use or personal gain. Examples include:

• Purchasing supplies, goods or services at inflated prices
• Failure to reuse or recycle major resources
• Making unnecessary purchases

Abuse

Behavior that is seriously deficient or improper when compared to behavior that a prudent person would consider reasonable and necessary in the circumstances. Abuse includes misusing one’s position or authority as a city employee.

• Unauthorized disclosure of confidential or proprietary information
• Providing a benefit for someone for which they do not qualify
• Directing staff to perform personal errands for a supervisor

This hotline is for reporting possible misuse of city of Scottsdale resources. Please do NOT use the Integrity Line to report:

• Complaints against private businesses, unless the issue involves city operations, resources or employees
• Disputes between individuals
• Potential fraud related to county, state or federal assistance programs unless the program is being operated by the city of Scottsdale
• Emergencies or other public safety concerns

After receiving the incident report, the City Auditor will review the provided information to determine if an investigation is warranted. Possible action may include an investigation, a referral to a law enforcement or regulatory agency, a referral to city management for review and response, a determination of no further action necessary or others.

If a hotline complaint is substantiated, the City Auditor will prepare a written report that will be a public record. Annually, the City Auditor will also prepare a summary report providing hotline call statistics.

Information to provide

Please be as specific as possible - names of persons potentially involved and persons who also know about the matter, and dates, times and details of the incident. Nonspecific allegations are difficult or impossible to investigate.

Confidentiality

The City Auditor will to the extent allowed by law maintain confidentiality of all complaints, associated working papers and other files. Arizona Revised Statutes §9.305(B) provides for confidentiality of audit files:

“9-305. City or town auditor; examination of executive session minutes; confidentiality

B. Working papers and other audit files that are maintained by the city or town auditor are not public records and are exempt from title 39, chapter 1. Any audit report prepared for or presented to a city or town, whether by city or town auditor, the auditor’s authorized representative or a consultant, is a public record subject to title 39, chapter 1.”